European Women S Lobby

PRESS BRIEFING

24.11.2009 EUROPEAN WOMEN’S LOBBY PRESS BRIEFING WOMEN IN EU TOP JOBS

EWL resources:

EWL Flickr page with photos of ‘Women in top jobs’ demonstration of 18.11.2009 in conjunction with MEPs

EWL Open Letter to Heads of State and Government ahead of 19-20 November European Council with the title ‘The European Union, democracy and fundamental rights for both women and men – one step forward, two steps back!!!’

EWL letter to MEPs 19.11.2009 calling for last-minute action ahead of 19 November decision on Top Jobs and final nominations of Commissioners

EWL Open Letter to EU Heads of State and Government ahead of the 29-30 October European Council. Also available in French

EWL Press Release 17.06.2009 ‘EWL 50/50 Campaign for Democracy - More Women in the European Parliament, What about EU Top Jobs?’

EWL Editorial of October 2009 Newsletter: ‘Negotiations on the EU Tops Jobs begin - will there be a woman?’

EWL Facebook page

EWL 50/50 Campaign for Democracy

EWL website

Other resources:

Petition for gender balanced Commission

Margot Wahlström’s blog

PES is calling for fair representation of women in the EU

Liberals and Democrats campaign for better gender balance in EU Institutions

Press coverage:

24.11.2009 Barroso II brings nine women on board (EurActiv) PRESS BRIEFING

24.11.2009 Barroso has full house of commissioner nominees (EUobserver) 24.11.2009 Barroso begins forming team (European Voice)

18: 11.2009 Ras-le-bol des « costumes-cravates » ! (Libération) 18.11.2009 Lucha por el número de mujeres en la futura Comisión (El Mundo) 18.11.2009 Taoiseach nominates Georghegan Quinn for Europe (Irish Times)

17.11.2009 Petition calls for more female Commissioners (European Voice) 17.11.2009 Ireland picks Geoghegan-Quinn for Commission (European Voice) 17.11.2009 Sweden nominates Malmström as a commissioner (European Voice) 17.11.2009 Women’s lobby makes final plea for top jobs (EurActiv) 17.11.2009 ‘Iron lady of the North’ in late bid for EU’s top job (The Independent) 17.11.2009 Brussels blog: Scarcity of women candidates for EU jobs signals trouble ahead (Financial Times)

16.11.2009 EU Leaders asked to pick a woman (BBC) 16.11.2009 EU- Swedish presidency favours top role for a woman (Euronews) 16.11 2009 EU criticized for lack of women in top jobs (Press TV) 16.11.2009 EU under pressure to consider women for top jobs (New York Times)

15.11.2009 Brussels attacked for lack of women in top jobs (Financial Times)

12.11.2009 Barroso unlikely to get more women in next commission (EUobserver) 12.11.2009 Yes, Mrs President? (Euronews) 12.11.2009 Gender imbalance mars formation of Barroso II (European Voice)

05.11.2009 Thank you Dona Quixote, for seeking presidency (European Voice)

22.10.2009 Hunt Continues for women to fill top EU posts (EurActiv) 22.10.2009 Letter by Finish MEP Anneli Jäätteenmäki: Give women more top jobs (European Voice)

15.9.2009 EU urged to give more ‘top jobs’ to women (The Parliament.com)

Letter from Ms. Margot Wallström, Ms. Diana Wallis and Ms. Neelie Kroes to press on 15.11.2009

‘The right man in the right job is often a woman’

European democracy will face a moment of truth in the coming days. Two important appointments will be made for the European Union – the President of the European Council and the High Representative/Vice President of the European Commission – and once more it is looking more and more likely that only men will be nominated.

A new European Commission will also be appointed in the coming weeks. Though President José Manuel Barroso has urged his fellow members of the European Council to keep in mind the importance of gender balance when presenting their candidates, it still looks as if the new Commission will have fewer women than the current one.

This would be bad for Europe, bad for democracy and bad for women. PRESS BRIEFING

It is time to move from words to deeds on gender equality by appointing women to leading positions in the EU, as Jerzy Buzek, president of the European Parliament, also suggested recently to the European Council.

There is no lack of names; no shortage of qualities and competence. Many women are active in European politics, working for the benefit of our societies. Vaira Vike-Freiberga, for example, has been mentioned for the post of President of the European Council; Elisabeth Guigou and Catherine Ashton as potential High Representative/Vice President of the European Commission.

We need a collective political commitment to ensure political representation of women. Women make up a majority of the population, and in the 21st century European democracy cannot afford to use only half of its people’s talents, ideas and experiences. When women sit at the table, they can help to ensure that the political decisions reflect the needs of the entire population.

The right man in the right job is often a woman. Appointing women would make Europe richer and more representative and bring it closer to all citizens. This can happen, but it requires some bold decisions. NOW.

Margot Wallström, Vice-President, European Commission Diana Wallis, Vice-President, European Parliament Neelie Kroes,, European Commissioner

Letter of MEPs to European Council 18.11.2009:

To the European Union Heads of Government,

You are meeting over the next few days to decide on the European Union’s so-called 'top jobs' and some of you will also be finalising your choice of Commissioner.

To date these processes have been without transparency and have signalled the worst aspects of an old and unrepresentative EU. You have a few days to make a difference and to inspire our citizens to have more connection with our institutions.

If these posts were subject to an appointment process in any of our Member States, the process to date would be invalid for failure to respect our own legislation on non-discrimination and gender balance.

Be clear, if these posts are not filled in a way that reflects the diversity of European society, especially in respect of the number of female candidates, your choices may not pass the European Parliament.

The MEPs in Suits

Press Release by MEPs 17.11.2009:

EU top jobs Cross-party MEPs call for more women in EU top jobs

PRESS BRIEFING

Today, the Greens/EFA Group organised a press conference with MEPs from the European Parliament's five largest political groups. They issued the following joint statement on gender balance in the EU's "top jobs" and in the composition of the new European Commission.

"After more than 50 years of gender equality treaty articles and legislation, the EU has still not achieved anything close to gender parity among its own top jobs, let alone in other areas of EU society. The EU loses credibility as a force fighting for gender equality when it cannot achieve such goals even within its own ranks.

The EU's top decision-makers should reflect the people they serve. Men have already been appointed to the presidencies of the Commission and Parliament. It is therefore inadmissible that so few female names are in the frame for the posts of Council President and foreign affairs high representative.

It is also unacceptable that only three of twenty-seven Member States have so far confirmed they will nominate a female Commissioner. The fewer the women in the proposed Commission, the greater its disadvantage when it is presented to the European Parliament for a vote of approval.

There is a shared responsibility for the composition of the new European Commission in terms of the quality of the candidates and its overall gender balance. The nominations by EU leaders are however critical and we call for action to ensure that more women are put forward for the EU's top jobs."

Rebecca Harms, Greens/EFA Co-President

Diana Wallis, ALDE, European Parliament Vice-President

Rodi Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou, EPP-ED, European Parliament Vice-President and member of EP committee for women's rights and gender equality

Britta Thomsen, S&D, coordinator for EP committee for women's rights and gender equality

Ilda Figueiredo, GUE/NGL, member of the EP committee for women's rights and gender equality

Marije Cornelissen, Greens/EFA, member of EP committee for women's rights and gender equality

Press Release by EP Vice-President Rodi Kratsa 17.11.2009

*The Vice-President of the European Parliament, Mrs. Rodi Kratsa, participates in the action for more women in the european "top jobs"*

Rodi Kratsa demands more women at the leadership positions of the European Union, uniting her voice with the voice of her colleagues MEPs from all political groups of the European Parliament. At a press conference that took place today in Brussels, organized by the Greens/EFA Group, Mrs. Rebecca Harms, Co-President of the Greens/EFA Group, Mrs. Rodi Kratsa, Vice-President of the European Parliament from the EPP Group and member of EP committee for women's rights and gender equality, Mrs. Diana Wallis, Vice-President of the European Parliament from the ALDE Group, Mrs. Ilda Figueiredo, member of the EP committee for women's rights and gender equality from the GUE/NGL Group, Mrs. PRESS BRIEFING

Britta Thomsen, coordinator for EP committee for women's rights and gender equality from the S&D party and Mrs. Marije Cornelissen, member of EP committee for women's rights and gender equality from the Greens/EFA group, held a discussion on the underrepresentation of women at the European decision-making posts

During their intervention, all the speakers agreed that it is necessary for a progressive and modern European Union to reflect the fact that more than 50% of the European population consists of women, and that it is unacceptable that until today only three women candidates have been submitted for the post of Commissioner in the composition of the new European Commission, when the outgoing body counts 8 women Commissioners.

In her intervention, Rodi Kratsa underlined that the responsibility for the composition of the European Commission is collective, as regards both the personal abilities of the Commissioners and the gender balance:

“President Barroso made his political will and vision clear by calling on the national governments to provide more female candidates as Commissioners designate. It is incumbent upon the Heads of national governments to respond positively to this call and to the moral and political obligation for the promotion of women in the higher ranks of European decision making. More women in the EU top jobs will bring Europe closer to the people, on a symbolic but also on a substantial and democratic level.”

In parallel, the Greek Vice-President of the European Parliament referred to the importance of solidarity among women themselves as well as to the need for civil society action. She reiterated the significance attached to the support of women’s organizations to women candidates for political posts and gave as an example the International Association for the Promotion of Women of Europe (AIPFE), which counts two of her members as candidates for the new posts created by the Lisbon Treaty: former Latvian President Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga for the Presidency of the European Council, and Austrian former Minister for Foreign Affairs Ursula Plassnik for the post of the EU high representative for foreign and security policy. She also made a reference to the conference “The Women in Europe: for a real parity”, taking place on Thursday 19 November at the European Parliament. The President of the European Commission, Mr. Barroso, the Commissioner for Institutional Relations and Communication Strategy, Mrs. Wallström, the Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, Mr. Spidla, and Mrs. Freiberga will address the conference. The conference is held under the auspices of Rodi Kratsa and is co-organised with – among others – the Foundation Robert Schuman and the Constantinos Karamanlis Institute for Democracy.

Office of Vice-President of the European Parliament MEP Rodi Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou Voukourestiou 34, 10671, Athens, Greece Off: +30 210-3645950 Fax: +30 210-3633835 Email: [email protected] Site: www.rodikratsa.net Facebook: Rodi Kratsa / Twitter: Rodi_Kratsa

View original: http://www.iknowpolitics.org/en/node/10098#comment-2575 Post reply: http://www.iknowpolitics.org/en/comment/reply/10098/2575

Press Release by MEPs 18.11.2009: PRESS BRIEFING

Women MEPs dressed in shirts, ties and dress jackets demonstrated today in front of the European Council building in Brussels demanding gender balance in the selection of the European Union's top jobs and symbolically handing in their CVs to the Council.

The protest was provoked by the prospect of the next European Commission College becoming even more male- dominated as member states are nominating almost only men to fill the portfolios, as well as the fact that the names mentioned as potential candidates for the new top jobs are also almost exclusively male. These two positions are the new President of the European Council and the High Representative for Foreign Policy.

"It is high time that current Council President Fredrik Reinfeldt realises the need for change", said Eva-Britt Svensson, Swedish Left Party and GUE/NGL group MEP, taking part in the protest.

"This is not just an empty threat" Svensson said. "The European Parliament must approve the new Commission, and if it is not sufficiently equal it is possible that it will be rejected."

Among the other participants in the campaign were Diana Wallis, European Parliament Vice President and MEPs from the European United Left/Nordic Green Left (GUE/NGL), Greens, Socialist and Liberal groups.

Roger FALK +32 473 80 45 79

Press Release by genderbalancedcommission, 18.11.2009:

1/3 of the European Commission College must be female! Future Commissioners – Whilst discussions heat up to appoint the President and High Representative, a citizen initiative asks for a “Gender Balanced Commission”

BRUSSELS – On Thursday, 19 November, the heads of State and Government are set to negotiate at a late dinner the designation of the first President of the European Council and the High Representative for the Commission, subject to the latter’s approval by the European Parliament.

In the meantime, several sources of information seem to indicate that it is unlikely that one of these jobs will be attributed to a woman, and even more significantly, that the next set of 27 Commissioners will include fewer women than the current one (which comprises eight women).

As a reaction to this rumour, four eurobloggers have launched a private initiative on the web, under the banner “GenderBalancedCommission.eu”.

“ It is absolutely unacceptable that no effort seems to be made by the Member States to put forward strong women candidates for these top functions”, states euroblogger and co-initiator of genderbalancedcommission Maria Wiemer.

“We do not believe however in just complaining about it and have decided to act constructively by proposing names of potential alternative candidates and allowing citizens to sign a petition demanding that at least one third of the European Commissioners be women,” adds genderbalanced.eu co founder Jon Worth. PRESS BRIEFING

“ The ultimate objective is to put pressure on Member States to end the “Old boys’ club” mentality and to encourage the European Parliament to reject any set of candidate Commissioners that does not include one third of women, as could be expected in the 2Ist Century.”

What we need to do now is get this message across to our Heads of State and Parliamentarians, by signing the petition. Lending us your voice you will help us deliver this message. Proportionality and equal representation must be a key priority of the new Commission.

Background On 15 November, Margot Wallström (Vice-President, European Commission), Diana Wallis (Vice-President, European Parliament) and Neelie Kroes (European Commissioner) wrote an open letter in which they stated “The right man in the right job is often a woman”. Prior to this statement, both the President of the European Parliament, Jerzy Buzek, and the President of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso have on various occasions stressed that they expected Member States to put forward women as Commissioner Candidates.

About GenderBalancedCommission The website genderbalancecommission.eu is a private initiative by four eurobloggers, namely Eurosocialiste, Jon Worth, Julien Frisch and Maria Wiemer who saw that decisions were about to be made that under-represented the female population of our modern society with the female participation in the corridors of the Berlaymont.

For further queries see below information:

Press contact:

http://www.genderbalancedcommission.eu/ @genderbalance